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Forging a Better Border
Commissioner Bersin urges changes

By Leslie Berestein
May 7, 2010 at 12:01 a.m.

Joe Vega (left), director of strategic accounts for NYK Logistics, asks Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Alan Bersin about improving the flow of goods across the border at Point Loma Nazarene University Thursday, May 6.

POINT LOMA — Speaking at a community forum at Point Loma Nazarene University on Thursday, recently appointed U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Alan Bersin stressed a need to move goods and people, including a legal flow of immigrants, across the border more efficiently than it’s being done today.

Bersin, who was appointed to the top job in the agency in March after a year of serving as border czar for the Obama administration, reiterated the administration’s position that broad changes are needed in the nation’s immigration system.

He said a workable plan should have three legs: a secure border, a secure and legal flow of workers that meets the needs of U.S. employers, and a way of removing those convicted of crimes, while giving those who merit it a path to legal status and eventually citizenship.

“This is a nation of immigrants,” he said. “My grandparents came here 98 years ago. We all come from somewhere else.”

In recent days, in response to pressure occurring after Arizona passed a an anti-illegal immigration law, the Obama administration has expressed support for an immigration overhaul. However, it remains unlikely such a plan will come this year. Last week, President Barack Obama stated that there may “may not be an appetite” for Congress to immediately tackle the contentious immigration issue, though he has voiced personal support.

Bersin, a former U.S. attorney and school superintendent in San Diego and border czar during the Clinton administration, addressed questions from business, human rights and other border-related interests regarding border security and commerce.

He acknowledged that as security has increased, cross-border trade has suffered.

“Since 9/11, there is the perception, and the reality, that we have focused on security to the exclusion of trade,” he said.

Joe Vega, an attendee who works for a cross-border shipping company, complained about long lines for trucks waiting to cross north at the busy Otay Mesa cargo port, waits that can stretch into hours.

“The lines at Otay go for two or three miles. We need to fix that infrastructure,” said Vega, adding that the company already participates in a voluntary federal cargo-security program and global positioning to track the movements of drivers.

Bersin stressed a need to expand such cargo security programs, along with trusted-traveler programs such as SENTRI, and to work out more effective means of sharing information between the U.S. and Mexican governments.

“This is about infrastructure, yes, but also about policies and practices,” he said.

Bersin said he hoped for programs in the future that would allow for such measures as pre-screening of cargo in Mexico, with the information sent to U.S. officials, to expedite the cross-border flow while maintaining security.

In fiscal 2009, which ended last Sept. 30, customs inspectors found drugs hidden in 43 trucks headed north through the Otay Mesa facility, the nation’s sixth-busiest for cargo.


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They need a lane for vehicles with disabled sticker on their vehicles too. Also a designated RV lane with 2 agents for inspections instead of sending some of those monstrous things into secondary and clogging all lanes just to get them there.

I have 6 friend that have tryed for more then 6 months, trying to cross and have spent x $ and where cought each time the CBP is doing an excellemt job I told my friends to stop but each time they came back, I just laught one had to go to the ER they finely gave up after about 4-9 times each tryed to cross the CBP needs to fix on moving the cars faster at the border.thumbs up to CBP even after what they did to me.